A SOUTHPORT couple are breaking out of their boxroom and into the showroom three years after setting up their own business with a focus on energy efficiency and the environment.

Richard and Caroline Jenkinson, from Town Lane, have opened up in the heart of Ainsdale Village with NWPL Plumbing & Heating.

Started in 2007 by former Meols Cop High School pupil Richard and former Christ The King pupil Caroline, the business has grown to the point it now has seven employees and a premier spot on Liverpool Road, which was, up until recently, the home of Cathe Boutique, a women’s clothes shop which was in Ainsdale for decades.

An official opening day for the shop will also be held on the morning of Saturday, July 31, with residents and local community leaders due to attend.

Richard, 38, said: “My background is in retail senior management with Tesco but decided the time was right to do something different.

“I initially started out by myself but around this time the issue of green energy and conservation was coming to the fore so, to respond to customer demand, we started offering eco-friendly solutions.

“Having said that, we offer everything from call outs to fix a dripping tap; energy efficient system design and plumbing; to full bathroom design, installation and maintenance. Whereas most companies offer just a few of these services, we have everything under one roof.”

Caroline, 42, left a career in the civil service to start the business with Richard and looks after finance, marketing and customer service.

“We decided that once the business had grown, we would have a showroom in a prominent location,” says Caroline.

“We chose Ainsdale because it’s a thriving, bustling village and having only been here for a relatively short period of time, we have been made to feel very much at home.”